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New face to the group!

Hi, my name is Melissa. I'm 30 years old and I don't have kids, just a hubby and a doggy. My mom passed away in march from a blood clot in her lungs and my dad happened to die from the same thing when I was 6. So I had some concerns and went to my dr and asked for a full check up. Low and behold I tested positive for lupus. He said he would run some test on me and we would go from there. I have done 2 ana panels and both came back high so he suggests I go to a rheumatologist, which I go to on the 27th of this month.

Theres no telling how long I have had this and not known. Going back thru my charts and my memory I stay sick or hurting. I am over weight so I dont like to go to the dr b/c all they do is tell ya that you're fat, like I didn't already know that. So I kept a lot of my sick times to myself. When he told me that I tested positive for lupus he said that is prolly the reason for all of my joint pain and my breathing problems. I am the only person that can get a cold and it last 4 months or better. Some days I hurt so bad I don't even want to get out of bed. I suffer from depression as well. Im not sure about Lupus, I've done some research on it but its not the same as having someone to talk to about it that is going thru it.

So this is a short version of my story. Hoping to meet some friends that I can talk with about this disease.

Losing a parent at any age, is a hard place to be. Sorry for both your losses. I lost my Mom at 33, my Dad is still with us.

I was just chatting with my sis, who is very overweight. We talked about how people are to her. Rude, she is invisible to them. Society, makes one wonder...

I do know alot of things are secondary symptoms to obesity, but one shouldn't get less health care, attention and proper diagnoses because of weight. Have you thought of seeking another GP. We all deserve the best care, and remember we choose them, not the other way around. So, they can be fired by you. You're fired with the two finger and a thumb jab.

I am overweight from steriods, the face bloat..but I have been weaned off of them for sometime now. The fat must like me cause it keeps following me. Hard to get motivated when you ache from head to toe. Not having a good sense of well-being. Is that what you feel like too? I do.

I have SLE, with many of its cronies assaulting my well being. I am battling it with Plaquenil, a malarial and an antiflammatory diet. Omega 3's, B complex, fish up the ying-yang, flaxseed, no preservatives, no sugar...and etc. Pain, I dose with Ultracet, aka Tramadol.

I think Lupus and depression go hand in hand. Pain, it inflicts a mental anguish. The chronic is the wear-me-out, leave me mentally drained. Leaving us to feel less whole, questioning why, why...but here you will find help to ease your thoughts. Get hands on experience from others and how we deal with it. The physical and mental. Vent, find happy, vent frustration...celebrate good days and pour out the woe is me. All words are welcomed here.

Me, today..not so good. But I find when I write it gives me a bit of energy to change my day up a bit, like now I think I will plug my 10 minute pilates dvd in...I'll let you know how I faired later. I also have a few messages to reply to later...

Till then, welcoming you with open arms. Enjoy the day, be good to yourself, physically and mentally. Good things thought about ourselves, can change our day.

I had a period where my ankles and legs would swell. I could literally watch them grow. Times they would turn bluish, but not cold related. So, I haven't a clue why that was.

Elbows ache. YES!!! I swear they feel like they are being carved into with a knife. All the little bones and joints in my hands, wrist and feet scream with pain when I am in a full flare. Otherwise they just ache all the time.
Along with all my other joints, hip, shoulders....

I suggest elevate your feet. Apply moist compresses to your elbows and hands. Or take a nice long very warm shower or bath. I like the pounding from my shower head. Stimulates the flow of blood, I like to think. Stretch, sauve on some lotion, massaging with a kneading motion, with the grips of your palms into the surrounding muscles. Gently at the joints. And avoid salt in any form or reduce its intake and drink water. Water flushes out water retention.

All the other symptoms you listed can result from Lupus or some other disease from my reads. Weight does contribute to them too. Soon, hopefully you will be diagnosed and on the road to early treatment... to feeling better.

welcome to the board! I am sorry about all of the trials that you have had to face. Its hard when nobody understands. I hope you enjoy the board, we are all here for you! Many of the symptoms you relayed i suffer from too. I hope that the dr is able to help you. As long as I manage my lupus, I am still able to lead a pretty normal life. Please lt us know whatever questions you may have.